The present invention is generally related to an electrochemical system and method thereof. The system typically includes, but is not limited to, cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear voltammetry, pulse voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, amperometry, and the like. In exemplary embodiments, the invention relates to an amperometry/voltammetry system that includes an external voltage generator, and a method of detecting reactants of chemical/biochemical reactions catalyzed by a redox enzyme (also known as oxidoreductase).
The advent of nanotechnology has stimulated endeavors to develop detection techniques such as early disease diagnosis techniques through detecting small ensembles of molecules of substances, or even single molecules. For example, electrochemical detection using enzymes as sensing elements provides good substance selectivity due to the enzyme-analyte specific interaction. However, the intrinsic low level of interfacial charge transfer of this detection approach due to the embedment of enzymes' active sites by the protein environment creates a fundamental limit for the sensitivity of this approach.
Thus, there exists a continuing need for not only a selective but also a sensitive device, and a method useful for detecting target analytes.
Advantageously, various embodiments of the present invention provide an amperometry/voltammetry system including an external voltage generator; and a selective and ultrasensitive method using the system for detection of chemical/biochemical reactants at extremely low concentrations. The system and method provided may find application not only for known reactants, but also for the detection of emerging pathogens, for example those that may be generated or activated by changes in the environment, for example due to global warming.